Stop motion for cards



Sept. 13, 1966 E. D. soUTH STOP MOTION FOR CARDS Filed Jan. 16, 1964 INVENTOR. /ffzer D. Soz/fb BY 3,271,824 STOP MTION FR CARDS Elmer D. South, Columbus, Ga., assigner to Swift Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Georgia Filed Jan. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 338,033 1 Claim. (Cl. 19-.22)

This invention relates to a stop motion for cards and more particularly to means for automatically stopping the carding operation in response to the resistance of the sliver to lateral deflection decreasing to `an extent that the sliver moves out of a predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler of the card.

An object of my invention is to provide electrically controlled apparatus which automatically disengages a driving element of the card from ya driven element thereof when the sliver is broken or moves out of a predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler, thereby stopping the carding operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated in which the means stopping the carding operation comprises mechanism which will shift a main driving belt from a driving pulley to an idler pulley.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated in which the means stopping the carding operation comprises mechanism which will shift a main driving belt from a driving pulley to an idler pulley.

Another object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated wherein an electrical solenoid is employed to disengage the driving element from the driven element in response to an interruption of the running of the sliver in a predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated wherein a normally closed, knee-actuated switch is in .an electrical circuit for the solenoid which disengages the driving element from the driven element of the card, whereby the solenoid may be deenergized by actuation of the knee switch, thus permitting the operator to jog the doffer of the card to proper position for piecing up the web or sliver with a minimum of effort, while both hands are free for piecing up the web.

A further object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated which shall include a signal device which shall be actuated upon interruption of the operation of the card by my improved apparatus.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a stop motion for cards of the character designated which shall be simple of construction and one which may be mounted on conventional cards with a minimum of effort.

As is Well understood in the art to which my invention relates, one attendant can supervise the operation of several carding machines where such machines are provided with dependable means for interrupting the operation of the card in the event the sliver breaks or defects appear in the sliver which cause it to move laterally out of its normal path of movement between the calender rolls and the coiler of the card. That is, in the normal running of the sliver at a predetermined range of ber weight per unit length, the sliver has sufficient resistance to lateral deflection that it passes in a predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler. While various devices have been proposed for stopping the carding operation when the sliver is broken or when defects appear therein, no effective means has been provided to permit the operator to energize or deenergize the driving mechanism for the card at will and at the same time have both States Prnt hands free for performing other duties, such as piecing up the web or sliver.

Brieiiy, my improved apparatus comprises a sliver engaging member which is mounted in position to engage the sliver and move laterally in response to the resistance of the sliver to lateral deflection decreasing so that the sliver moves out of a predetermined path of movement between the calender rolls and the coiler. A normally open switch element is mounted in position to be closed by the sliver engaging member upon lateral movement thereof. An electrical solenoid is connected to a movable member which is adapted to energize and deenergize driving mechanism for the card. Electrical current is supplied to the solenoid by a circuit having a normally open switch therein and a normally closed knee switch therein. The normally open switch is operatively connected to the sliver engaging member whereby it is closed upon interruption of the running of the sliver in the predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler. The knee switch is in position to be actuated by the knee of an operator whereby the drive mechanism for the card may be energized and de-energized by merely moving the knee of the operator into contact with the knee switch.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front elevational View showing the movement of the sliver from the calender rolls to the coiler .and showing my improved mechanism associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental, top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. l; and,

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical circuit for my improved apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I show a card indicated generally at 1t). The card is provided with the usual calender rolls 11 and coller 12 whereby the sliver 13 passes in a predetermined path from the calender rolls to the coiler. The doifer of the card is driven by a gear 14 which meshes with a production gear 16 mounted on a drive shaft 17. Mounted non-rotatably on the drive shaft 17 is a pulley 18 which is driven by a belt 19. Mounted for rotation on the shaft 17 is an idler pulley 21 which is adapted to receive the belt 19 when it is shifted laterally into alignment with pulley 21.

Mounted on the frame of the card 11i and projecting outwardly therefrom is a support bracket 22 having au elongated slot 23 therein. Mounted for sliding movement on the support bracket 22 is a movable member 24 having upstanding pin-like members 26 and 27 which are adapted to engage opposite sides of the belt 19, as shown in FIG. 2. The lower ends of the pins 26 and 27 are adapted to ride in the elongated slot 23 whereby the movable member 24 moves in a direction generally perpendicular to the belt 19, as shown.

Mounted Ion the frame of the card 10 inwardly of the movable member 24 is an electrical solenoid 28 having an armature 29. One end of the armature is connected to the movable member 24 whereby upon energizing the solenoid 28 the movable member moves outwardly to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, to thus shift the belt 19 to the idler pulley 21 whereby rotation of the drive shaft 17 is stopped. The armature of the solenoid 28 is urged inwardly toward the 'frame of the card 10 by a suitable tension spring 31 whereby the belt 19 is returned to the drive pulley 18 upon deenergizing the solenoid 23. Electrical power is supplied to the solenoid 28 by Ilines 32 and 33 which are connected to a suitable source of power.

Mounted within the electrical circuit for the solenoid 28 is a normally open switch element 34 which is mounted on the coiler unit 12, as shown. Mounted for pivotal movement on the card by a suitable pivot pin 36 is a lever arm 37. The upper end of the lever arm 37 is adapted to engage the sliver 13 whereby the lever arm is unged in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. i1, so long as the sliver is running in its normal predetermined path between the calender rolls 11 and the coiler 12. The lower end of the lever arm 37 extends below the pivot pin 36 and is adapted to actuate the normally open switch 34 upon counterclockwise movement of the lever arm 37, as viewed in FIG. 1. That is, so long as the sliver 13 is moving in its normal predetermined path between the calender rolls 11 and the coiler 12, the sliver holds the lever arm 37 in position to be out of contact with the normally open switch element 34. On the other hand, upon interruption of the normal running of the sliver in the predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler, the lever arm 37 rotates laterally in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, whereupon the depending portion of the lever arm 37 actuates the normally open switch 34 to thus complete the circuit to the solenoid 28 whereupon the belt 19 is shifted from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the idler pulley 211 to thus stop the operation of the card.

The normal running of the sliver 13 in the predetermined path between the calender rolls 11 and the coiler 12 is not only stopped when the sliver 13 is broken, but also when defects occur in the sliver whereby the sliver becomes slack between the calender rolls 11 and the coiler 12. That is, the lever arm 37 moves laterally in response to the resistance of the sliver to lateral deflection decreasing to an extent that the sliver moves out of the predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler.

Secured to and extending outwardly of the lever arm 37 above the pivot pin 36 is an arm 38. Mounted for adjustment along the anm 38 is a counterweight 39 which is held in selected positions by suitable means, such as a set screw or the like. By varying the position of the counteriweiight 39 along the arm 38, the sensitivity of the arm 37 may be varied. That is, the upper end of the lever arm 37 engages the sliver 13 with a relatively slight pressure and this pressure is varied by moving the counterweight 39 along the arm 38.

As shown in FIG. 3, a knee-actuated, normally closed switch element 41 is provided in the electrical circuit for the solenoid 28. The switch element 41 comprises an outwardly projecting member 42 which is in position to be engaged by the knee of an operator. The switch 41 is urged toward closed position by a suitable spring 43 whereby the switch is closed immediately upon release orf the outwardly projecting member 42. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the knee switch 41 is mounted on the frame of the card 10 adjacent the calender rolls 11 in position rfor the button to be pressed inwardly by the knee with a relatively light pressure. The normally cl-osed switch 41 thus will break the circuit to the -solenoid 28 even though the switch element 34 is closed by the sliver engaging lever arm 37. Accordingly, the operator may jog the doffer of the card to proper position for piecing up the web or sliver by merely pressing lightly against the switch 41. By providing the switch ele-ment 41 which is actuated entirely by the knee of an operator, both hands of the operator are free for piecing up the web or sliver or for performing other duties.

As shown in FIG. 3, a signal device such as a light 44, is provided in the electrical circuit in position to be energized upon closing the normally open switch 34. That is, as the lever arm 37 closes the switch element 34, the circuit is completed to the signal device 44 whereupon the operator is warned that the operation of the card has stopped.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved stop motion for cards will be readily understood. As long as the sliver 13 is travelling in its normal predetermined path between the calender rolls 11 and the coiler 12, the lever arm 37 is held in the position shown in FIG. l whereby the normally open switch 34 is in the open position. In the event the sliver 13 breaks or defects occur therein whereby it moves or is moved out of the predetermined path by the lever arm 37, the lever arm rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. l, whereupon the switch element 34 is closed to thereby complete the circuit to the solenoid 28 and the signal device 44. Upon energizing the solenoid 28, the armature 29 moves the movable member 24 toward the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, to thus shift the belt 19 to the idler pulley 21 and thereby stop the carding operation. To piece up the web or the sliver, the operator presses the knee switch 41 whereby the doler of the card is moved to the proper position for piecing the web or sliver. After the card has been placed back in operation and the sliver 13 is again running in its normal predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler, the knee switch 41 is released whereupon the circuit to the solenoid 28 is then deenergized by the normally open switch 34. The solenoid is thus deenergized until the normal running of the sliver in the predetermined path is again interrupted whereupon the lever arm 37 closes the switch element 34 again to thus repeat the cycle of operation.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved stop motion 'for cards. By providing a normally closed switch element which is in easy position to be actuated by the knee of an operator, the carding apparatus may be Iplaced back in operation by merely pressing lightly against the switch with his knee while both hands are free to` piece up the web or sliver. Also, the knee actuated switch permits the apparatus to continue operation until the sliver is again travelling in its normal, ,predetermined path between the calender rolls and the coiler.

Furthermore, by providing a signal device in circuit |with the normally open switch, the operator is warned that the cand is tout of operation immediately upon interruption of normal running of the sliver in its predetermined path between the calender rolls and coiler.

While l have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of va-rious changes and modications without departing from the spirit thereof, land I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What l claim is:

In apparatus for stopping the carding operation of a card upon interruption of the running of its sliver in a predetermined path between its calender rolls and coiler, said card having a driven element, a driving element and a movable member disposed to eng-age said driving element with said driven element upon movement of said movable member in one direction whereby the carding operation is carried on yand disposed to disengage said driving element and said driven element upon movement in another direction whereby the carding operation is stopped, the improvement which comprises:

(a) a sliver engaging lever provided with an adjustable counter-balance thereon mounted in position to engage the sliver between the calender rolls and the coiler and move laterally in response to the resistance of the sliver to lateral `deflection decreasing so that the sliver moves out of said predetermined path between the calender rolls an-d the coiler,

(b) a normally open switch element mounted in position to be closed by said sliver engaging lever upon lateral movement of said sliver engaging lever,

(c) an electrical solenoid operatively connected to said movable member whereby upon energizing said solenoid said movable member moves in said another direction to disengage said driving element and saidy driven element and thereby `stop the carding operation, s

(d) a spring member urging said movable member toward said one direction whereby the carding operation is carried on `while said solenoid is deenergized,

(e) an electrical circuit having said normally open switch therein and disposed to supply electrical current to said solenoid upon closing said normally open switch,

(f) an electrically actuated signal device in said circuit disposed to emit a signal when `said normally open switch is closed,

(g) a normally closed switch element in said circuit having a laterally projecting member disposed to move in a horizontal plane at an elevation to be opened by a knee lof an operator whereby said solenoid is deenergized which said normally open switch is closed, and

(h) a spring member urging said laterally projecting member outwardly to )close said normally closed switch immediately upon release of said laterally projecting member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,131 9/1907 Haselden. 1,727,1285 9/ 1929 Gullung 19-.25 2,270,720 1/ 1942 Thompson. 3,167,819 2/1965 Bradburn 19-.25

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 15 DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner.

D. NEWTON, Assistant Examiner. 

